Exhaust-valve for steam-engines.



- Patented Dec. 25,1900. E.- F. HUGHES. EXHAUST VALVE FOB STEAM ENGINES.

(Application flied Jan. 15, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Fig.6.

INVENTEIR. $2....

' ATT'Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD F. HUGHES, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

EXHAUST-VALVE FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,553, dated December 25, 1900.

Application filed January 15, 1900. Serial No. 1,511. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States,residingin Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exhaust -Valves for Steam-Engines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

, My invention relates to the exhaust-valves used in the pipe-line connecting steam-engines with the condenser. As prime movers of this description are usually installed a pipe leads from the exhaust of the engine to a T-fitting and a pipe from this latter to the condenser, including between the T-fitting and the condenser a stop-valve, so the connection to the condenser may be closed when required. The other branch of the T-fitting connects with a check-valve opening to the atmosphere whenever the pressure 'on the side of the check-valve next the T-fitting exceeds the air-pressu re. The check-valve acts as a safety device to permit the engine to exhaust into the atmosphere if the vacuum in the condenser fails from overheating or derangement of the air-pump, while the stopvalve serves to cut ofi the condenser from the engines, so it may be repaired.

- The arrangement above described is expensive and occupies considerable space. To overcome these objections, I have devised a special fitting; and the invention consistsin providing the said fitting with connections to the exhaust of the engines, a stop-valve to shut oi? the condensenand an automatic relief-valve to give access to the atmosphere.

A good embodiment of the invention might have a chamber with flanged inlets, so that engines may be connected to either or both sides. A valve opening into this chamber connects it with a passage that terminates in sage at its junction with the chamber. relief-valve is adapted to open it the pressure in the chamber exceeds the pressure in the passage, but may be operated by a hand-lever connected with a stem passing through a stuffing-box and attached to the valve when necessary, and to prevent too sudden movement of the valve the hand-lever is connected with a dash-pot. In some cases it is convenient to have several valves connecting the chamber with the leading passages instead of a single valve.

If the steam plant is working under normal conditions, the valve controlling the passage to the condenser is open and the valve leading to the atmosphere is closed. If anything happens so the condenser is unable to dispose of the exhaust-steam of the engines, the pressure will rise in the chamber of the fitting, a nd when it exceeds the pressure of the atmosphere the valve of the passage leading from the chamber thereto will open to give vent to the exhaust of the engines. If the interruption should be serious and render it necessary to get at the condenser, the valve leading from the chamber of the fitting to the condenser is closed, so that repairs may be made. When the condenser is ready for use again, the valve connecting it with the chamber of 'the fitting is opened with the handwheel, and for a brief period the chamber of the fitting is in connection with the exhaust of the engines, the atmosphere, and the condenser. The relief valve is now brought gradually to its seat, the vacuum meanwhile constantly improving, and the final seating of the valve" is cushioned by the dash-pot to prevent slamming. The means taken to insure slow closing of the relief-valve are of considerable importance if the engines are furnished with an oversensitive governor, as the additional efl'ective pressure due to the condenser tends to racing.

The fitting is illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a vertical central section of the fitting. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the righthand portion of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial elevation of the left-hand side of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan of Fig.' 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the chamber, inlets, and outlets on line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sec- This tion through the passage leading ,to air on line Y Y of Fig. 1.'

The body of the fitting a is furnished with flanges b and c at the extremities of the inlets d and e, connecting with a chamberf, so that engines may be connected to both inlets; but one of the inlets, as b, may be covered by a disk git the engines feed only into the other inlet. Conveniently arranged with relation to the inlets are the flanges h, i, and w of the passages j and k, connecting with the chamber f; 'One, as j, leads from the flange it up and over the chamber f, and at its junction therewith a valve Z is arranged to open into the passage j. The other passage 7c dips under the chamber, and a valve m, 'opening into the chamber, controls their junction. A hollow stem n is connected to the valve Z, so the valve may revolve on the stem and be lifted or forced to its seat by the hand-lever 0, pivoted to the stem and having a link connection with a yoke p, attached to the cover of the passage j. A suitable stufiingrbox formed in the said cover prevents the escape of steam around the stem 72. The cover also supports a dash-pot q, connected by alink with the hand-lever o to retard the motion of the valve.

I A rod r passes through the stem n, and the valve m is attached to its extremity, so the valve may revolve thereon, but be positioned with relation to its seat by thehand-wheel s, fastened to the nut t, which is arranged torevolve in the yoke 10, but is restrained from axial motion therein. A stufling-box connected to the end of the stem n prevents the escape of steam around the rod '1'.

The exhaust of the engines might be connected to the flange c of the fitting. The valve on under ordinary working conditions would be open and the valve Z would be closed, so the e haust-steam would pass to theinlet c, then the chamber f, through the valve m, to the passage 70, andto the condenser through apipe connected to. one of the flanges 't'or w, as may be suited by the position of they condenser, so the lead Will be the more direct from the fitting, the flange not connected being of course covered by a disk. If now the condenser fails, the increase of back pressure in {the chamber f opens the valve Z and permits the steam to enter passage j, so it may escape into .the atmosphere by means of a pipe connection to the flange h. If it becomes necessary to shut ofi the condenser, the valve m is seated by the hand-wheel s, fastened to the nut 15, threaded on the rod r, which isattached to the valve. If the engines have been exhausting intothe air and it is desired to connect them to the condenser, the valve m is opened and. the relief-valve'l is brought slowly to its seat by the handslever othrough its connection with the stem n, which latter is attached to the valve Z. The final seating of the valve is retarded by the dash-pot q, which isconnected by a link with the handlever 0.

If-the engines are to exhaust into the air, it is advantageous to keep the relief-valve from fluttering, and for this purpose I push the pin u, which slidesin a hole in the yoke 19, through a hole 2; in the hand-lever 0 and into a registering hole in the yoke on the opposite side of the slot in the yoke for the hand-lever.

.Having described myinvention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In an exhaust-valve, the. combination with an integralv body having a fluid inlet or inlets connecting with two distinct dischargepassages, of a valve normallypositioned by the fluid-pressure on its opposite sides to control one. passage,'and a valve positioned ind pen y 9 h mp essi sfl lid t se ern the other passage, substantially as described. r I

2. In anexhaust-valve, an inlet-chamber having connections with several passages,

combined with valves operated only by hand for some of the passages, and valves adapted to be opened by abnormal pressure of the fluid in the chamber, for other passages, substan-' tially as described.

3. In an exhaust-valve, a passage provided with a valve and, connected devices to govern it by hand,combined with a passage furnished with a valve normally closed by air-pressure, having means for retarding its motion, that is arranged to be opened by unusual pressure of a fluid in an inlet-chambercontiguous to both valves, substantially as described.

4. In an exhaust-valve, a chamber having suitable inlets; a valve, with a threaded stem and adapted to be positioned by a nut which is restrained in a yoke attached to the fitting, for governing a passage from the chamber; and a valve, havinga pivotedjhand-lever attached to its stem and connections with a dash-pot, arrangedto open from the chamber into a separate passage, automatically upon excessive pressure in the chamber but also subject to control by the connections with the hand-lever, substantially as described.

5. In an exhaust-valve, a single structure having a stop-valve to govern one passage leading from the inlet-chamber, combined with an independent relief-valve to control another passage leading 'from the chamber, the latter valve bein g connected with a handlever having attached thereto a retarding device and having means for locking the said valve away from its seat, substantially as described.

6. In an exhaust-valve, the combination in a single structure having means for admitting a fluid, of valves for its outlets, the controlling-rod of one valve being arranged within the stem of the other, and one of the valves having connections with'a retarding device, substantially as described.

'7. In an exhaust-valve, a valve and connected devices for moving it by hand te govern a passage, combined with a valve having ICC IIO

sage from the chamber; and a valve, having.

a controlling hand-lever attached to its stem and connections with a retarding device, arranged to open from the chamber into a separate passage, automatically upon excessive pressure in the chamber but also subject to control by the attached hand-lever, substantially as'described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 2d day of January, A. D. 1900.

EDWARD F. HUGHES.

Witnesses:

A. O. ORNE, THOMAS B. HUGHES. 

